19 July 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. Sachin Tendulkar inducted into ICC’s Hall of Fame 2019
- Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar (46-years) and South African pace legend Allan Donald (52-years) have been inducted into the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame 2019.
- Two-time World Cup-winning Australian woman cricketer Cathryn Fitzpatrick also inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame 2019.
- Sachin Tendulkar (retired in November 2013) has 34,357 runs across formats and is the only batsman to have 100 international hundreds under his belt.
- Allan Donald is one of the finest bowlers to have played the game and had 330 Test and 272 ODI wickets to his credit before calling it quits in 2003.
- Fitzpatrick is the second-highest wicket-taker of all time in women’s cricket with 180 ODI scalps and 60 in Tests.
- As a coach, she guided the Australian women’s team to three World Cup titles.
Note:
- The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of the legends of the game from cricket's long and illustrious history.
- It was launched by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai on 2 January 2009, in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), as part of the ICC's centenary celebrations.
Source: AIR News
National Affairs
2. HRD Minister releases UGC guide to the student induction programme
- The Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank released the UGC Guide ‘Deeksharambh’ in New Delhi.
- According to HRD minister Mr. Nishank, the guide will help new students to build bonds with fellow students and faculty members in the new environment.
Note:
- ‘Deeksharambh’ is a guide to Student Induction Programme (SIP) to help new students adjust and feel comfortable in the new environment, inculcate in them the ethos and culture of the institution.
- To promote Deeksharambh, UGC will shortly conduct awareness and training programmes for teachers in different regions in the country.
Source: PIB
3. Prakash Javadekar inaugurates 10th Jagran film festival
- Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Prakash Javadekar has inaugurated the 10th Jagran Film Festival at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi.
- He highlighted the importance and impact of cinema on the life of people and termed that it is a medium which connects people.
- He recalled the historical development of cinema in India and the growing impact of Indian cinema as a transporter of India’s soft power.
Note
- Jagran Film Festival (JFF) is perhaps the world's largest travelling film festival rooted in India, conducted since 2010.
- The festival is a Jagran Prakashan Group initiative aimed at promoting the appreciation of the cinematic art beyond the major metropolitan cities of India to smaller towns.
4. India permits 1,239 tonnes of raw sugar export to the US
- The Union government has permitted the export of 1,239 tonnes raw sugar under its tariff-rate quota (TRQ) to the US, which enables shipments to enjoy relatively low tariff.
- TRQ is a quota for a volume of exports that enter the US at relatively low tariffs.
- After the quota is reached, a higher tariff applies to additional imports.
- Directorate General of Foreign Trade in a public notice said that an additional quantity of 1,239 tonnes of raw cane sugar to be exported to the US under TRQ up to September 30, 2019.
- The country enjoys duty-free sugar exports to the US for up to 10,000 tonnes annually under preferential quota arrangement.
Source: AIR News
5. Health Ministry signs MoU for enhanced cooperation to end TB by 2025
- Union Health Ministry has signed an MoU with Ministries of Ayush, Defence and Railways to strengthen the efforts towards a TB-Free India by 2025.
- The MoU was signed in the presence of Minister of State for Health Ashwini K Choubey and Minister of AYUSH Shripad Nayak.
- Around 28 lakh people contract the disease every year in the country and four lakh people die every year.
Note:
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects your lungs.
- The bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.
7. WEF Centre, Telangana govt set to send medical supplies via drones
- Telangana Government and the World Economic Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network has announced to launch an innovative project to deliver emergency medical supplies such as blood and vaccines via drones.
- The pilot project, ‘Medicine from the Sky’ will run in partnership with the State Government and HealthNet Global Limited.
- It will help facilitate decision-making in healthcare supply chains, focus on last-mile deliveries and address issues that affect the medical distribution system.
Source: AIR News
8. Garbage Cafe scheme launched in Ambikapur city of Chhattisgarh
- The Municipal Corporation of Ambikapur has launched a ‘Garbage Cafe scheme’ (India’s first garbage cafe) at Ambikapur city in Chhattisgarh.
- under this scheme, A person fetching a kilo of plastic waste to the garbage cafe will be assured of a full meal.
- Those collecting at least 500 grams will benefit from a substantial breakfast.
- Earlier, Ambikapur was ranked second cleanest city in India after Indore.
Banking and Finance
9. ADB cuts India’s GDP growth rate from 7.2% to 7% for FY20
- According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), India's projected GDP growth rate from 7.2% to 7% for the current fiscal year.
- Asian Development Bank lowered India’s GDP growth rate from 7.2% to 7% for the current fiscal year.
Note:
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19th December 1966, Headquartered in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines.
- The ADB is a social development organization that is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
- ADB has 68 members (as of 23 March 2019): 49 members from the Asian and Pacific Region, 19 members from Other Regions.
International Affairs
10. Sri Lanka signs an agreement with India to upgrade railway lines
- Sri Lankan government signed an agreement with IRCON International for the upgrading of a railway track with Indian concessional financing of around 91.26 million US dollars.
- The agreement is for up-gradation of over century-old track of 130 km located between Colombo and Jaffna in Tamil -majority northern province.
- Palali airport near Jaffna is expected to be connected by air services to South India by early September.
- India has so far committed Line of Credit worth around 1.3 billion USD for the development of the railway sector in Sri Lanka.
- The restoration of arterial railway lines, connecting the North and the South after decades of conflict, was undertaken under Indian concessional financing.
- India has so far upgraded around 300 km of railway track and provided modern signalling & telecommunication system for around 330 km in Sri Lanka.
Source: The Hindu
11. Ebola outbreak declared global health emergency in DR Congo
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ‘Ebola crisis’ in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern.
- The UN health agency made the announcement days after the virus was confirmed in Goma, a major regional crossroads in north eastern Congo on the Rwandan border.
- According to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (WHO director-general), it was time for the world to take notice of the epidemic and called for a redoubling of efforts to battle it back.
- More than 1,600 people have died since August in the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, which is unfolding in a region described as a war zone.
- This is the fifth such declaration in history.
- Previous emergencies were declared for the devastating 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa that killed more than 11,000 people, the emergence of Zika in the Americas, the swine flu pandemic and polio.
Note:
- Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola, is a viral hemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by ebolaviruses.
- The virus spreads through direct contact with body fluids, such as blood from infected humans or other animals.
Source: AIR News
12. First, ever use of Indian waterway to transport Cargo from Bhutan to Bangladesh
- The first-ever use of an Indian waterway to transport cargo from Bhutan to Bangladesh via India
- A shipment of stone aggregates was formally received at Narayangunj by Riva Ganguli Das (Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh) along with Sonam T. Rabgye (Ambassador of Bhutan to Bangladesh).
- The Indian cargo ship MV AAI carrying stone aggregates from Bhutan arrived in Narayanganj in Bangladesh through the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route.
- The stone aggregates were transported by trucks from Phuentsholing in Bhutan which is 160 kms from Dhubri jetty in Assam before being shipped to Bangladesh through the Brahmaputra.
- The transport of cargo through this route will cut short travel time by 8 to 10 days and reduce transportation cost by 30 per cent. It will also be a more environmentally friendly mode of transport.
Sports
13. Sarabjot Singh wins India's ninth gold in ISSF Junior World Cup
- In Shooting, India’s Sarabjot Singh (17-year) shot a 239.6 to bag the men's 10 metres air pistol gold medal in ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.
- This is India's ninth yellow metal at ISSF Junior World Cup event.
- Now, India remains on top of the medal standings with nine gold, nine silver and four bronze for a total of 22 medals.
Note:
- The 2019 ISSF Junior World Cup is the annual edition of the ISSF Junior World Cup, governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation.
Source: AIR News
14. Inzamam-ul-Haq decides to step down as Pakistan chief selector
- Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq has decided to step down as Pakistan chief selector.
- According to Inzamam-ul-Haq, he would not seek an extension or renewal of his contract, which is due to expire by the end of this month.
- Inzamam came under severe criticism as the chief selector after Pakistan failed to qualify for the knockouts in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup.
Note:
- The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) controls and organises all tours and matches undertaken by the Pakistan national cricket team.
15. ICC suspends Zimbabwe Cricket with immediate effect
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Zimbabwe Cricket with immediate effect over violation of global body's constitution which doesn't allow any government intervention.
- The current elected members of Zimbabwe Board were suspended by government agency Sports and Recreation Committee (SRC) which was a violation of relevant articles of ICC Constitution.
- As a consequence of suspension, ICC funding to Zimbabwe Cricket will be frozen and representative teams from Zimbabwe will not be allowed to participate in any ICC events.
- The Croatia, Morocco and Zambia Cricket Union have both also been suspended for continuing to be non-compliant.